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Letters Patent No. 81,174, dated. August 18, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASE-lvOILlzlRSi fitte 'tlghulc referat fr in time.Eaters iztnu imhmtiug gaat tf its smite.

'lO ALL' WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I', FREDERICK JUDSON, of Castleton, Ain the county ofRensselaer, and State of New York, have invented a new and improvedWash-Boiler; and I do herebyvdeclare that. the following is afull,clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making al part of this specification, in whichyFigure lis a perspective viewof the improved wash-boiler, with itscovcrremoved and one side broken away, to expose the interior of the boiler.i Y

Figure 2 is a transverse section, taken in a. vertical plane through-theboiler, withthe cover upon it.

Similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in the twofigures. i

This invention relates to certain novel improvements on boilers,whichare chiefly designed for cleansing clothes and other fabrics withoutmanual labor, and by the agency of steam, operating to cause a rapid`circulation of water through the fabrics placed in the boilers.

The nature of my invention consists in the application, withinasuitable' vessel or boiler, of a tubular steambox or chamber, which isso constructed that, when the boiler is supplied with water and articlesto be cleansed, and heat is applied to its bottom, a rapid ascent anddescent of the water through the said articles will be caused by thealternate pressure and condensation of steam in the said steam-box orchamber, as will be hereinafter explained.

To enable others skilledin the art to understand my invention, I willdescribe its constructionand operation.

In the accompanying drawings A represents a boileror caldron, which maybe made of any suitable.material, shape, and capacity. I prefer toconstruct it with a dat bottom, as shown ing. 2, but d'o not connemyself thereto.. B represents a boy: or steam-chamber, which consistsofa perforated top, a, supportedupon the bottom of the boiler by a flange,b, and provided with tubes D, which extend down from all theperforations nearly to the bottom of the boiler A, as shown in fig. 2.

This tubular box forms a steam-chamber inthe boiler during the processof cleansing fabrics, which chamber is below the fabrics and above thelwer ends of the tubes D, andis designed to cause, by an alternateexpansion and condensation of steam, a rapid ascent and descent of waterthrough the superimposed fabrics, as will be hereinafter explained. Y

In order to prevent the steam-chamber or bex B from being raised out ofplace by the pressure of steam which is generated in it while cleansingfabrics, I employcross-bars or battons, E, upon the top of said box,with shoulders F upon the inner sides of the boilerA, which will notonly hold the box B down in place against upward pressure, but will alsoallow of the ready removal of this box when required.

Ata suitable point near the top of thc boiler A is a rack, C, whichconsists of longitudinal rods secured to cross-rods. The extremities ofthe latter being adjusted beneath the shoulders or ledges G, fastened onthe inner sides of the boiler A, will serve to keep, the fabrics down inplace during the operation of cleansing them` If desirable, thesteam-chamber may be constructed permanently in the boiler A, byproviding this boiler with two bottoms, and leaving the required spacebetween them. v

The top plate will be constructed with tubes, which will formcommunications for the circulation of water and steam between the'upperand lower chambers, as described, for the removablevbox or steam-chamberB. While a steam-chamber thus constructed would operate successfully, Iprefer the removable chamber, as shown in the drawings, because it canbe taken out of the boiler to cleanse or repair it.

Having described the construction of my improved wash-boiler, I will nowshow howit operates to cleanse clothing and other fabrics.

' The fabrics to be cleansed, together" with a suitable quantity ofwater and soap, or other washing-compound, are put into the boiler A,after securing the steam-chamber down in place.. The rack Gis thensecured in place, to prevent the steam and ascending currents of waterfrom tbrowingupthe fabrics while cleansing them.

When heat is applied to the bottom of the boiler, steam will begenerated in the chamber B, and the water will commence to rise from thebottom of the boiler, in consequence of the difference in specic gravityof the heated and cool water, and also in consequence of theaccumulation of steam in chamberB, above the lowerA ends of tubes D.When the steam in chamberB has attained a sui`eient pressure to overcomethe weight of the water and fabrics, nearly all the Water will beexpelled from said chamber, and caused to rise through the tubes D andthrough the fabrics. There will always be a small quantity of water leftin the steam-chamber, below the lowerv ends of the tubes D, during thecleansing operation. As lsoon as the water in chamber B is expelled, thesteam will escape through pipes D, andgallow water to return again intosaid chamber, and as the temperature of this descending water will havebecome-greatly diminished, the steam which remains in the steam-chamberwill be condensed, which will produce a partial vacuum, and cause arapid descent of the water tovll the chamber. I

In this way, and by Ithis alternate application of steam-pressurel tothe water and the condensation oi'steam in the chamber B, the water willbe caused to circulate rapidly through the fabrics, which are confinedbetween the rack C and the topv of the steam-chamber, and therebycleanse them.

In g. 2, the red arrows indicate the Vascent and. descent of water inthe boilei during the operation ot' cleansing fabrics. One of thesearrofws indicates the water descending and' passing beneath the flange bof the steam-chamber. This will take place provided an opening is madeat the lower edge of said ilange, but

where the steam-chamber is made permanent in the boiler, all the waterwill circulate through the tubes D, first ascendingrand then descendingthrough these'tubes.

Having described my invention, and its mode of operation, what I claimas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is V The combination ofthe steam-chamber B, with its top a, sides b, tubes D, and cross-bars E,with the washboiler A, provided with the shoulders F, rack C, andsupports G, in the manner and for the purposes herein described.

FREDERICK JDSON.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. MELIGK, 1 Tiros. HOUGHTON.

